New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-14
RELIEF FOR BROADWAY.
THE ELM STREET WIDENING FAVORED.

BRIDGE TO MAIDEN LANE.
tntervals for the last two years the project or 70
Having broadway Of part of the large number OF vehicles
that daily mass up and down has cngrossed the aen'
zion Of the Board OF Street Opening and Improvement
This body Is composed oJhe Mayor Controller Presi
dent o the Board Of Aldermen President of the Depart
meut Of Parks and Commissioner of Public Works.
There are two suggestions now under consideration
One IL to cut away the buildings on the east side OF
Ems making that thoroughfare eighty feet wide and
chang ny the grade, to make 1t nearly UNIFORM
with but "A little lower than broadway. and cutting
through the blocks noIthward on line passing htte
10 of the eecker Street Savings Bank through
Pooles Theatre in E'ghth-st.. and connecting win
Eourthave. at Ninth At At the lower end Em-st WILL
according 10 the project he continued in curved line
tlrougthe block from Reale 10 SChambers ST. cutting
away snail part OF the northeast corner OF the |i'y
Hall Park connecting directly with the entrance ana
exit of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The second proposition is TO extend Centre-st from
Broomc-st northeast. cutting through the DOCKS "
Lafayetteplacc and thence connecting directly WIN
FOurth-ave
There have been several hearings given beginning
under Mayor Gracos last administration and continued
under Mayor Hewitt All the arguments TOT anu against
both projects have been fully exhausted ana inc matter
a, now before the Board Of Opening and Improve
ment for final action
The advocates Of the Elmst project say 'haI 'n's ~
the best route because 1t is nearer broadway ana inc
lar of the ground better suited to street intended 10
n
grade can easily be accommodated to that OF broadway
and higher than thai of Ccntrest There
is at present only railroad track IN H. ana haI ior
only short distance. In Cenrest there are SO many
tracks as to present decided objection to that route
Widening Elnst. will also largely lnrease tue taAaoc
value of the adjacent property
who wish Ccntrest chosen say that II Is ALREADY
wide enough for considerable distance; that the prop
erty to DO taken in cutting through the pochs irom
Broomest. to Laayetepace Is of no great vaiae' ana
that the the city would be as COIN
pared with the Elm-st project
THERE MUST BE RhIIEF FOR BROADWAY.
All arc agreed that somethug must he done to relieve
the pressure ON Broadway during certain hours OF the
day.
While the hearings were in progress President BECK
man said that his experience that broadway ana
other thoroug fares downtown needed relief as much
not moro than Broadway between the City Han ana
Fcurteenthst He asked: If you turn all this tide OF
travel into Chambersst what VIII You do Win II
No one could give satisfactory answer
At the reQuest OF the Mayor policemen were del ailed
for six days CONT the number OF veticts coMhg mo
Broadway from Fulton st, east and west, lAOerty-si'
Cortamit-st Ann ST.. Johnst and Maldcnllne IL was
found that nearly 50 per cent from the west The
question then opened mp whether II would not nc
well for the Board to consider plans ior opening OF
widening q street each sldc Of Broadway below
Chambers st. West Broadway, Iu1s0nst ana WeSt-st
when it is widened in accordance with the plans OF the
Dock DEPARTMENT. will furnish ample means or transit
Tor vehicles the west side above Chhnneis So nut
there is, 1t declared an absolute necessity Tor
wide tloroughflre parallel with Broadway ana near 10
ta, artery of travel tue West SIDE below Chambers
ST. Nassau ST. and Wihanst. the East side are boti
streets, and UiocAs III them are OF frequent oc
Mayor Hewitt suggested outside aid be sought in
solving The problem. Why not Ask tie opinions OF
memiers ~ tie societies of engineers he ASKED The
suggestion was deemed The public hearings
had been closet AMI TIE Bort hdi been deo'T%us Oh
it, report General Newton and Presidents Bcekman
such suggestions migt bc deemed ad'is bc ana pre-
sent item to the Board General George = Greene 81
tae American society OF Civil tnsneers and Charles H.
Emory. Of the American society ot Mech" i
psnv have been consulted and tclr reccnncn ations
are in the hands ol the subcommittee.
TIL ENGINEERS FAVOR TIE ELM STREET PHoJfcT,
They commend the Elm ST. route One fayOrs street
100 feet wide and the other 80 feet wide Their most
tnportant Recommendation, however Is that street
eighty vide be cut from point near the entrance TO
the Brooklyn Bridge in Park Row. taking away Frenchs
Hotel part OF it, and running through the BLOCK
midway between Nassau and William SITS TO either
Madenane or LDertys The proposed street Will pass
in the rear Of TnE TRIPrYP Bnl,ng. General Greene
N Mr. Emo.y tnink that widening Nassai-st IS out OF
he question because OF the enormous oXpen'c unnl
WOULD incurred by tearing away parts oi the cNpch
sive buildings mat line II now for nearly ls cntiie
:cng'h Nianrst Is noi wdae snongn 'I Nv, , -.
widen is open TO the same objection Is III vac rSc VI
Nss-aus added 10 which j. the IdCt tat II II 100 lar
hlo"ks hrt SeSn Nassau and william Sis. the buildings
demolished would not be 50 valuable ana lana woHid lie
The report of the subcommittee has not ye, been pre-
pared for Submission to the R S Of E sIrrs T opes
and improvement, bat IT Is likely that one WI" DC cane"
General Newton is emphatic in his declaration that
something must be done soon 20 relieve bI0ai"N ne
was equally emphatic in his declaration thtt the pave
ruts IN the lower part OF the city. including that on
broadway. must soon be replaced by new ones ,,.o -
favor Llm-t Widening he Sild, because IN
INV opinion it Is better adapted relieve the pressure OF
hh !" e rne1se viii be considerably greater The
grades of ride streets from broadway to CehtreSt
viii need raised In places. bat ms Wiz no.
materially damage property anywhere. AMI VIII ne o.
great benefit in most The difference IL cog; oe
ewcen the Cenrr-st and Elm st routes will not lie
heavy burden the city The project for lay ing out
street TO through bo blocks between Nassau ana
William sis think excellent one or cours" some
ching be done TO relieve the traffic on me last SIZE
William S on Sa r.sSs st. The Experiment Of
auEber OF vehicles that turned INTO BroaIway it9 3 Inc
900 that more lrclicf conld be gwen Broadway down
town by cutting wide street through The block on me
West Side below Chanbersst or College place or widen
ing Church ST. Something OF this KIND must be done.
NEED OF NEW PAvEMESTs DowN1owN.
"Thc number OF vehicles IL yearly Increasing ana II
Ncw-York would maintain its commercial supremacy IL
mu, furnish adequate facilities for handling goods AT
the present time narrow downtown streets force
nearly al the traffic Broadway and ths leads me TO
speak OF the pavements The pavement III broadway
must lie replaced short time. considerable part
Of 1t has already been turned and relad; that 49, the
over of the block has been placed upptrinos' ana
this is now that new blocks must be provided
The Board of Estimate and ApportonmeDt can only
allow 100000 yearly for new pavemens mat - thc
maximum an strongly inclined 10 use the whole OF
his amount next year in providing for broadway a
pavement exactly Ike hat laid IN Fith ave, when Is
undoubtedly the best pavement IN this city III has
yveD complete "tion The one great tiouoo Is
thai az soon a. a good pavement IL laid the gas ana
steam and subway companies along and begin tear
ing itup. . .,, o
,anv the to lay payenents In the lower part OF
.ne city spulac that 1t shall keep them In thorongh
rpair for twenty years one u nc allow ell 10 touoh
l,eiu q All repairs shonld be don"
Nv the COMPANY, and whenever the gas or steam com
oanIcs wish tho torn they shpdli De con
,,II.J TO nav for it, Then the public and MS depart
nen will whom 10 hold responsible anu the result
siIl lie well paved Streets . ,., . .,.o.
4 believe that II by all odds the BEST route: nc
expense of cutting away pat OF the Dulld hg7 anu 'NS
~, Land ia un az much greater induce u vote
D. az Co,tr..st rnufe The uroi.ct street